Clip-on lens accessory for spectacles

ABSTRACT

A clip-on spectacle accessory for rimless, clip-on lenses has clasps that are directly secured to the top edge of each lens. Each clasp forms part of a holder structure for an elastic bridge that connects the clip-on lenses and provides elastic gripping action to hold the accessory to a pair of spectacles. A lower clasp is provided on each clip-on lens so that they are prevented from spreading away from the spectacles.

The invention relates to a clip-on spectacle accessory with rimlessclip-on lenses, which are each held by a number of clasps to thespectacle lenses, wherein an upper clasp is directly secured to the topedge of each clip-on lens which at the same time forms the holding meansfor an elastic bridge to the other clip-on lens, such that the lateralcohesion of both clip-on lenses is determined by the upper clasps andthe bridge, and a lower clasp is directly secured to the lower edge ofeach clip-on lens preventing the clip-on accessory from spreading awayfrom the lenses of the spectacles, wherein the upper and lower clasp ofeach clip-on lens are outwardly offset with respect to the center lineof the clip-on lens.

Such clip-on accessory is known from U.S. Pat. No. 5,123,724. The claspsof this spectacle accessory are formed from clip-ons which are U-shapedand grip the respective clip-on lens on both of its sides. Thereby theclip-ons form a gap between their base and the respective edge of theclip-on lens, in which gap a bridge formed from a rectangular elasticbar is inserted and glued to the spectacle accessory when adapting thespectacle accessory to the spectacles and of the person wearing it. Therectangular elastic bar thereby, as a result, fills the equallypractical rectangularly formed gap to such an extent that only a smallspace must be filled by the glue and therefore the bridge is securedagainst twisting. Due to the short distance between the legs of theU-shaped clip-ons, a corresponding thickness of the respective clip-onlens is necessary, which must be able to fit into the clip-on as tightas possible, so that its solid mounting into the clip-on is ensured. TheU-shaped clip-on in no way enables a later insertion of a clip-on lensthicker than its width. The filling-in of the glue into the abovementioned gap respectively requires each, an exact portioning of theglue while avoiding a smearing of the glue extending beyond the edges ofthe gap and onto the clip-on lens which, considering the smalldimensioning of the respective components, can hardly be achieved, inany case requires extreme attention and accuracy, which in generalpresents a considerable hindering of a quick and problem-freeadaptation, not considering the problem of a subsequent clipping of theparts to be connected while the glue has to harden. Additionally, therectangular bar forming the bridge complicates its necessary bendingduring the fitting of the clip-on accessory to the pair of givenspectacles, since the bridge at the same time must possibly by bent inthe directions, which extend nearly diagonal to the rectangularcross-section of the bridge, whereby the rectangular cross-section ofthe bar impedes such a bending. A quick and problem-free adaptation ofthe clip-on accessory and possibly a quick replacement of the clip-onlenses, therefore is not possible with the known clip-on accessory.

A clip-on accessory on the market comprises a metal frame for eachclip-on lens onto which for each clip-on lens two clasps are mountedoutwardly offset from the center line of the respective clip-on lens,with which the clip-on accessory is attached to the lenses of thespectacles. Both clip-on lenses are connected to each other by means ofa bridge formed from a wire respectively ending in a tube which isseparately mounted to the frame of the respective clip-on lens.

From DE-Gbm 89 14 048 it is further known to provide individual clip-onlenses which respectively comprise three clasps in a framelessembodiment, with which respectively each clip-on lens is attached to aspectacle lens. A connection between both clip-on lenses for spectaclesis not provided. The three clasps are mounted to the clip-on lens eitherby means of pins penetrating the clip-on lens or are glued to theclip-on lens.

The invention is based on the object of providing a clip-on accessoryfor spectacles, which is extremely easy to manufacture and which can beput together from pre-formed individual components in accordance to thecorresponding spectacles without great expenditure and which also allowsa later replacement by different clip-on spectacle lenses.

According to the invention this is achieved in that the bridge is formedfrom an elastic metal wire, which ends at both ends within holdersarranged at the top edge of the corresponding clasps.

Due to the metal wire connected to the corresponding clasp by means ofthe holder, on the one hand, a pre-formed component in the form of abridge and the two clasps arranged at both ends is presented to theoptician, so that a finished component is presented for the adapting tothe spectacles. Thereby, it simply has to be ensured that for differenttypes of spectacles a number of groups of components consisting ofbridge and clasps are available. For these spectacles commonly availablethree different sizes of these groups of components are sufficient. Noproblem with regard to any soiling of the clip-on lenses to be attachedcan then occur during fitting. The elastic metal wire due to itsnormally round cross section, offers the same flexibility in all lateraldirections, so that the clip-on accessory with the clip-on lensesattached to the clasps is attachable in a simple way to almost anyspectacles. The arranging of the holders for both ends of the metal wireat the top edge of the corresponding clasps offers a secure and eleganttransition to the clasp.

For practical reasons, the holders consist of solder connections.

For practical purposes, the clasps are arranged as one-sided restscontacting the clip-on lenses and being mounted to the clip-on lenses.Due to the one-sided contact, clip-on spectacle lenses of practicallyany desirable thickness can be attached to the rests. In particular, asubsequent replacement of clip-on lenses in particular by thickerclip-on lenses is possible.

In accordance with the invention, the clip-on accessory only requirestwo clasps for each clip-on lens, of which the respectable upper claspadditionally forms the holder for the bridge formed from the elasticmetal wire. For the arrangement of both clasps to a clip-on lens onlytwo arrangement locations are therefore required, which also includesthe mounting of the bridge. Due to the arrangement of the one clasp atthe upper edge of a clip-on lens, an elegantly attached bridge extendingfrom one clip-on lens to the other, is achieved, the lower second claspensuring that the clip-on lenses of the clip-on accessory cannot spreadaway from the spectacles. Due to the arrangement of both claspsoutwardly offset with respect to the center line of each clip-on lens, asecure cohesion of the clip-on accessory in consideration of the bridgeresults, whereby the clip-on accessory cannot fall off of thecorresponding spectacles after its attachment and which requires aflexible bending back of the bridge for its removal.

There are different possibilities for the mounting of the clasp. On theone hand, the clasps can be arranged such that they engage the clip-onlenses with a rear rest. It is, however, also possible to provide theclasps with a rest arranged on the front side of the clip-on lenses. Therest can e.g. be mounted by means of screws, rivets and by means ofgluing to the clip-on lenses, whereby screws especially facilitate alater replacement.

The holding for the bridge formed from a metal wire can be formed astubes arranged above the edges of the clip-on lenses, which are mountedto the upper clasps, preferably soldered thereto.

In order to prevent the damaging of the corresponding spectacles,respectively their frames, the clasps can for this purpose be providedwith clamps bent inwardly, which are coated with a plastic tube.

The bridge can for practical purposes be arranged as an arch-shapedconnection, whereby the bridge in connection with the clip-on lensespresents a particularly pleasant appearance.

Embodiments of the invention are presented in the figures.

FIG. 1 clip-on accessory with a rear rest for the clips, which aremounted to the clip-on lenses by means of screws.

FIG. 2 shows an enlarged side view of an upper clasp according to FIG.1.

FIG. 3 shows an enlarged side view of a similar clasp, which is glued tothe rear side of a clip-on lens.

FIG. 4 shows an enlarged side view of an upper clasp with a restengaging the front side of the clip-on lens and a mounting screw.

FIG. 5 shows an enlarged side view of a lower clasp.

In FIG. 1 a clip-on accessory 1 is presented comprising both clip-onlenses 2 and 3, which are connected to each other by means of the bridge4. The bridge 4 consists of an elastic metal-wire ending at both ends atthe upper clasps 5 and 6. Both tubes 7 and 8 are soldered to the clasps5 and 6, the ends of the bridge are inserted into these tubes andsoldered therein. Besides both clasps 5 and 6, the clip-on accessoryfurther comprises both lower clasps 9 and 10. Each clip-on lens 2 and 3is, therefore, held to corresponding spectacles by means of two clasps5/6 and 9/10. The clasps 5, 6, 9 and 10 here are mounted to the clip-onlenses 2 and 3 by means of screws, which penetrate the clip-on lenses.

Both clasps 5 and 6, respectively 9 and 10 are arranged such that,considering the length of the bridge 4, they grip the correspondingspectacle lenses from their outer region. For this purpose, respectivelythe upper (5/6) and the lower (9/10) clasps of a clip-on lens 2,respectively 3 are off-set outwardly with respect to the center line ofthe corresponding clip-on lens. In this way, a secure and easilyflexible cohesion of both clip-on lenses 2 and 3 is obtained by means ofthe bridge 4, which at the same time is securely held to thecorresponding lenses of the spectacles and can also not spread away fromthese.

In FIG. 2 the clasp 11, corresponding to the clasp 5 in FIG. 1, isillustrated in an enlarged side view. The clasp 11 grips over the upperedge of the clip-on lens 2 and merges into the rear rest 12, in whichthe screw 13 ends. The screw 13 is screwed into the rest 12 from thefront side of the clip-on lens 2. For mounting the clasp 11 to theclip-on lens 2, this clasp 11, therefore, is provided with acorresponding boring. The clamp 14 extends from the clasp 11, wherebythe clamp 14 is clipped over a spectacle lens not illustrated and isheld thereto. In order to prevent damaging of the lens of the spectaclesor its edge, clamp 14 is coated with a plastic tube 15. Further, thetube 16 is soldered to the clasp 11, which serves the holding of bridge4 according to FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 shows a structure of clasp 17 similar to the arrangementaccording to FIG. 2, which here ends in the rear rest 18. The rest 18 ismounted to the rear side of the clip-on lens 2 by means of the gluelayer 19. Otherwise, the clasp 17 corresponds to the clasp according toFIG. 2.

FIG. 4 shows an embodiment of a clasp 20 ending in a front rest 21.Here, the screw 22 is inserted into the clip-on lens 2 from the rearside and screwed into the rest 21. Similarly, a gluing to the clip-onlens 2 can obviously also occur similar to the arrangement according toFIG. 3. As with the embodiments illustrated in FIG. 2 and 3, the clasp20 is provided with the clamp 14 coated by the plastic tube 15.

FIG. 5 shows the lower clasp 23, which is formed corresponding to theupper clasp illustrated in FIG. 2, however, without a tube. The clasp 23merges into the rest 24, which here engages the front side of theclip-on lens 2. The lower clasp 23, therefore, compliments the upperclasp 20 illustrated in FIG. 4. The lower clasp 23 comprises the clamp25 with the plastic tube 26. It is mounted to the clip-on lens 2 bymeans of the screw 27.

Additionally, it should be noted that the clip-on accessory isparticularly suitable to be made available to the optician as a kit,consisting of the above-described components, who then with littlemanipulation can assemble and adapt the clip-on accessory from such akit for present spectacles.

I claim:
 1. Clip-on spectacle accessory with rimless clip-on lenseswhich are each held by a number of clasps to the spectacle lenses,wherein an upper clasp is directly secured to the top edge of eachclip-on lens, which at the same time forms a holder for an elasticbridge to the other clip-on lens, such that the lateral cohesion of bothclip-on lenses is determined by the upper clasps and the bridge, and alower clasp is directly secured to the lower edge of each clip-on lenspreventing the clip-on accessory from spreading away from the lenses ofthe spectacles, wherein the upper and the lower clasp of a clip-on lensare outwardly off set with respect to the center line of the clip-onlens, whereinthe bridge is formed from an elastic metal wire which endsat both ends within said holders which are in metallic connection withthe top edge of the corresponding clasp; each holder consists of asolder connection; and the clasps merge into one-sided rests contactingthe clip-on lenses and being mounted to the clip-on lenses.
 2. Clip-onspectacle accessory with rimless clip-on lenses which are each held by anumber of clasps to the spectacle lenses, wherein an upper clasp isdirectly secured to the top edge of each clip-on lens, which at the sametime forms a holder for an elastic bridge to the other clip-on lens,such that the lateral cohesion of both clip-on lenses is determined bythe upper clasps and the bridge, and a lower clasp is directly securedto the lower edge of each clip-on lens preventing the clip-on accessoryfrom spreading-away from the lenses of the spectacles, wherein the upperand the lower clasp of a clip-on lens are outwardly off-set with respectto the center line of the clip-on lens, whereinthe bridge is formed froman elastic metal wire which ends at both ends within said holders whichare in metallic connection with the top edge of the corresponding clasp;and the clasps merge into one-sided rests which contact the clip-onlenses only on one side and which are mounted to the clip-on lenses. 3.Clip-on spectacle accessory according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the restsare mounted to the clip-on lenses by means of screws.
 4. Clip-onspectacle accessory according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the rests aremounted to the clip-on lenses my means of rivets.
 5. Clip-on spectacleaccessory according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the clasps merge into restsglued to the clip-on lenses.
 6. Clip-on spectacle accessory with rimlessclip-on lenses, each clip-on lens having a front side and a rear sideand each are each held by a number of clasps to the spectacle lenses,wherein an upper clasp is directly secured to the top edge of eachclip-on lens, which at the same time forms a holder for an elasticbridge to the other clip-on lens, such that the lateral cohesion of bothclip-on lenses is determined by the upper clasps and the bridge, and alower clasp is directly secured to the lower edge of each clip-on lenspreventing the clip-on accessory from spreading-away from the lenses ofthe spectacles, wherein the upper and the lower clasp of a clip-on lensare outwardly off-set with respect to the center line of the clip-onlens, whereinthe bridge is formed from an elastic metal wire which endsat both ends within said holders which are in metallic connection withthe top edge of the corresponding clasp; and the clasps merge intoone-sided rests which contact the clip-on lenses only on the rear sideand which are mounted to the clip-on lenses.
 7. Clip-on spectacleaccessory with rimless clip-on lenses, each clip-on lens having a frontside and a rear side and each are each held by a number of clasps to thespectacle lenses, wherein an upper clasp is directly secured to the topedge of each clip-on lens, which at the same time forms a holder for anelastic bridge to the other clip-on lens, such that the lateral cohesionof both clip-on lenses is determined by the upper clasps and the bridge,and a lower clasp is directly secured to the lower edge of each clip-onlens preventing the clip-on accessory from spreading-away from thelenses of the spectacles, wherein the upper and the lower clasp of aclip-on lens are outwardly off-set with respect to the center line ofthe clip-on lens, whereinthe bridge is formed from an elastic metal wirewhich ends at both ends within said holders which are in metallicconnection with the top edge of the corresponding clasp; and the claspsmerge into one-sided rests which contact the clip-on lenses only on thefront side and which are mounted to the clip-on lenses.
 8. Clip-onspectacle accessory according to claims 1, 2, 6, or 7 wherein the restscontact the clip-on lenses on their rear side.
 9. Clip-on spectacleaccessory according to any of the claims 1, 2, 6, or 7 wherein that therests contact the clip-on lenses on the front side.
 10. Clip-onspectacle accessory according to any one of the claims 1, 2, 6, or 7wherein tubes for holding the ends of the bridge are mounted to theupper clasps above the upper edges.
 11. Clip-on spectacle accessoryaccording to claim 10, wherein the tubes are soldered to the clasps. 12.Clip-on spectacle accessory according to any one of the claims 1, 2, 6,or 7 wherein the clasps comprise inwardly bent clamps coated with aplastic tube.
 13. Clip-on spectacle accessory according to any one ofthe claims 1, 2, 6, or 7 wherein the bridge is arranged as anarch-shaped connection.